[Remote] Sr. Director, Product Management, Returns

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Avalara is hiring a Senior Director of Product Management to lead its global Returns product portfolio. The role sets product strategy and roadmaps, develops product teams, and drives cross-functional initiatives to improve customer experience and operational efficiency across tax compliance products.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the general managers for Returns, Property Tax, and Excise and cross-functional leaders to align strategy, priorities, and execution across a global, multi-product portfolio
• Interact with customers and Avalara subject matter experts to understand market needs across U.S. and international returns compliance — from sales tax and excise to VAT and property tax
• Work closely with product managers to drive consolidated strategies and roadmaps to ensure cohesion across team members and multiple product lines
• Work with product managers on goal setting and plan execution
• Be an evangelist of the Avalara product strategy, particularly our shift from singular product tasks to agentic, cross-product workflows that replace manual, fragmented compliance processes
• Articulate a clear and compelling product vision for the Returns group that spans both domestic and global compliance obligations
• Define metrics that measure key business objectives, including customer satisfaction, compliance accuracy, operational efficiency, and revenue growth
• Partner with other Avalara leaders and stakeholders across Engineering, UX/Design, Compliance Operations, Marketing, and Sales to drive strong relationships that foster goal achievement and issue resolution
• Lead high-ownership, high-accountability product teams across a broad global portfolio — setting the standard for what it means to deeply know your business and fully own the customer and product experience
• Motivate, inspire, and grow your people. Consistently hire A-players, earn their loyalty, and grow their careers
• Champion the transition from discrete, single-product tasks to agentic cross-product workflows — helping define the future of how Avalara’s compliance platform serves customers end-to-end
• Drive strong cross-functional partnerships with Engineering, Compliance Operations, and Sales to deliver products that are reliable, scalable, and market-leading
• Ensure accountability across the entire product lifecycle — from discovery and requirements through launch, adoption, and ongoing improvement
• Represent the voice of the customer at every stage; ensure product decisions are grounded in data, customer evidence, and market insight

Skills

• 10+ years of related product management experience and 5+ years of leadership and management experience
• Track record of leading a team of 5–10 directs or matrixed employees, and experience influencing product, design, and engineering teams of 40–200+
• Demonstrated success leading products and product teams from inception through launch for solutions that target small, mid, and enterprise-level businesses
• Deep domain expertise in tax compliance, specifically in one or more of the following: Managed Returns (U.S. or EMEA), Property Tax, Excise Tax, Lodging/Hospitality, DAVO, VAT Reporting
• Broad understanding of global tax compliance frameworks, financial technology, and SaaS environments
• A problem-solving mindset with a demonstrated appetite for AI experimentation — someone who actively applies emerging tools and agentic systems to reimagine how products get built and delivered
• Experience with agile development methodologies and commonly used tools such as Jira, Confluence, etc
• Experience with customer journey maps to define end-to-end customer experiences
• Demonstrated experience partnering cross-functionally and integrating diverse product portfolios
• Strategic thinking with the ability to go deep when necessary
• Hands-on experience analyzing data and deriving actionable outcomes
• Team player able to drive results through influence and enthusiasm
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with experience conducting briefings and demos both internally and with customers
• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field (accounting, business, or computer science)
• Expertise across more than one area is a strong differentiator
• MBA desirable
• You'll bring experience using AI and AI-related technologies, ready to thrive here

Benefits

• Eligible for an annual bonus based on individual and company performance, depending on the terms of the applicable plan and the employee's role.
• Eligible for an equity award, subject to the terms of the applicable plan.
• Paid time off
• Paid parental leave
• Many Avalara employees are eligible for bonuses.
• Benefits vary by location but generally include private medical, life, and disability insurance.
• A total of 8 employee-run resource groups, each with senior leadership and executive sponsorship.
• Remote work

Company Overview

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